Cargo Drones Added to Support Supply Chain in IndonesiaCargo Drones Added to Support Supply Chain in Indonesia

Cargo drone company Blueflite has been selected to support a project to enhance logistics and supply chain efficiencies in Indonesia.

Blueflite was selected by Terra Drone Corp. for the initiative, which is backed by the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as part of the Industrial Cooperation Program.

The announced plan is to use Blueflite next-generation, high payload capacity cargo drones to streamline logistics operations

“This collaboration is a significant milestone for Blueflite as we expand into the ASEAN market,” said Frank Noppel, CEO of Blueflite. “By integrating our state-of-the-art cargo drones into this project, we are showcasing the potential of unmanned aerial logistics to transform industries and drive efficiency across supply chains.”

As Indonesia expands its role in oil, gas and large-scale agriculture, the idea is to increase the use of drones to improve remote access and reduce operational costs.

The development of electric aerial vehicles (EAV) has been growing exponentially on a global basis, with the introduction of piloted eVTOL (electrical vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles such as air taxis.

While the electric air taxis are piloted, the category of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for the use of transporting things has been growing.

Related:Flying Vehicle Makes First Test Flight; 300-Mile Range

For example, a long-range hybrid VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle from Pipistrel recently conducted its first hover flight.

The unmanned Nuuva V300 hybrid-electric flying vehicle has a range of 300 nautical miles and can carry a 600-pound payload.

In China, EHang has developed a high-capacity drone to carry large cargo and featured the vehicle at the DriftX exposition in Abu Dhabi last year.

While drone deliveries of smaller packages have been conducted by companies including Walmart and Amazon, the trend is to improve the technology for more industrial-grade efforts, such as the Blueflite approach.

The coming category of drones include those that can carry larger payloads. One example is the MightyFly hybrid cargo drone that flies autonomously and can carry 500 pounds with a range of 600 miles.

As drone capabilities increase, UAVs can be expected to have a major impact on business logistics and supply chains.